Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-16
THE MURDER OF JAMES LUCAs.
The Trial Al GreeR and Webb sn the
CrisntmAt CO0rs.


The trial Of the two colored young men. Albert
Green and Fenton, alias George webe ind1cesd for
the murder OF james Lucas In September last, was
continued In the Criminal Court Judge Moatscn-
cry, yesterday, afoaf THR sfARs report closed.
The defendant Albert Green. osssinsd that he
vas ittle intoxteatsd when he went into the
church. He did span some loo cream ana swear Q
littlA He had rome down 70 Archie Hayeg aaloon
during the recess and ~ saw Lucas theeo with
three women. After he LEFT the saloon Lucas aid
TO him: "You must sop this loud talking" He
asked: "whas have yoa gos 70 % with itfn He
70 60 into bis. Green clinched him and threw HIM.
,r a. Inca s but could a. not hold
knife and cut Lucas to make him break his hold.
on cross-examination Green said that webb had
nS T ae n DS ans S2 ms
dropped w aas tasn 70 snow &c jas 10.
Sao1s jury and 5. WIN
peahoideI, passing MS right am under his body
the his YER as c..
show that the reputation OF Lucas was good.
Archie Hughes. the saloon-keeper, testified that
aSa Sss 60
the night OF the murder. He idehtined Green and
Webb as being among those calling for drinka Ne
night: that he had Known him Tor eSS fn yss ara
and that his reputation was good.
This closed the evidence.
PROCEEDINGS ro-pAY
This morning, Aessrs Browning and LeWiA for
the prisoners submitted prayers The nrst Is, that
If they nnd that Lucas approached and spoke to
Green, and hight ensued, during which Green. In
passion, struck the blow, the Jury could noe con-
after provocstion, and when Green was spprehen.
sive Of bodily harm, he must be acquitted; third,
that In considering the question Of provocation
consideration, also the knowledge OF Lucas that
he was talking to drunken man.
Wv. sss oSesd e
cepton OF that OF Green, showed that the provoca.
ton was BY him and that the case was one OF muir
ger; Mr. Lewis argued that the provocation was
by Lucas when be accosted Green On the street.
THE ARGUMENT.
District Attorney Worthingt0n commenced his
argument at IL O'Clock, saying that assuming that
Taylor's testimony was true webb was guilty OF
manslaughter, but there were grave doubts as to
was to acQuit him webb had already been in
jail I'VE or SIX months for having, according TO
some OF the witnesses, said SHOWS your chance, "
Green had knife. Taking Green's own testimony
ne was guilty OF manslau2hteF, but he tMr. W.
Claimed =, tnat ne was guilty Of murder. and pro
the fact.
MIR. Browning, for the defendant Green, at II 20
Ice sorstGouS6t and Consequently NO m mn .deI
he then recounted the circumstances as detailed
by the witnesses. and argued that after the &C.
the prOvocation was outside and by Lucas He
then claimed that the night at the church was
mutual one, and that Lucas pushed Green in the
that the knife was used In self-defense, and at
worst they could not convict the defendant OF q
higher crime than manslaughter
MI. Lewis also made an argument for Green. He
claimed that It was not likely that Lucas took the
insulting language Of Green composedly: that
hSPl ms sgFtofa md
cornered, and 1t was fair to presume that the
knife was used In self-defense.
District Attorney Worthington, In an argl-
ment VI about thirty minutes, contended that this
was case Of murder. The story told By Green
he styled prep0sterous one, and commented on
the absence OF the knife.
THE JUDGES CHARGE.
After q recess OF half an hour the court pro-
ceeded 70 charge the jury, reciting first the admit
ted facts that deceased and the others walked
back to the church when there was disagree
ment. The prosecution claims that Green Was the
agressor and the defendant that Lucas was There
we're three verdicls which could be rendered--ot
murder. OF .manslaughter." and OF mot guilty s.
The question they had TO decide was a giievouS
says that killing with malice aIorethought Is
! murder, but II does not or necessity mean
premedltation. II Green was the aggressor
and at the outset used the knife intending to Kill
he Is guilty OF murder II hey found that he was
the assailing party and Lucas only protected him.
self and Green used the knife not Intending 10
-
the knife vas deadly weapon in the meaning OF
| the law. II Lucas begun the fight 1t was Green's
duty TO avoid him and get out OF his way before
using deadly weapon.
The judge Then defined granddaughter. II
Green was assaulted BY Lucas, and they came
| together several times, Green using the knife on
the last occasion, not intending to kill or iniiict
bodily harm. he should be acquitted: but II he O.
began the hight ana used the knife, he must be
convicted II Green did not intend 10 take lie,
and II his statement Is correct, nc should be
quilted. The presumption was that the defendant
was Innocent, and they must 1nd his guilt with
out q reasonable doubt.
The judge then took up the prayers, granting
the first, rejecting the second, and giving the
third with modiijca
The jury retired at ::}5 o'clock.
GREEN Gully OF NuRoER-wRsR ACQUITTED
The.jury returned at 2:l5 O'Clock, and the ver-
dict was rendered ffve minutes afterward, as fol.
lows through foreman Andrew Archer: screen.
guilty as indicted unurder): Webb, not guilty. .
The jurors were polled.
Webb was LII reup0n discharged by the court
with the admoniuon that he had had q very mar
row escape. Green betrayed no emotion whatever.
The case viii be taken up on EXCEPTIONS
PAN Tuv ho